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Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (APRIL)

Hello Everybody,

My name is Nadi, I'm happy to be "officially"in your company ... (that guest person hovering in the corner of your screens was oft times me).... you seem like a fine gathering of people.
I came across Treeleaf per chance ... feels like a gem has fallen in my lap.
Been sitting for a couple of years now in solitary and not all that regularly.
I'm finding the sit-along to be a great support and inspiration in getting onto the safu more often and the whole Treeleaf happening is, well ?? need I say more, after Jundos revelations's of yester I just knew I was at the right address.

Looking forward to doing a lot more undoing with you all in the sitting room and offering me two pence halfpenny worth where I can.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (APRIL)

Dear all,

I heard of your virtual Sangha on my way to work today and was about to do a happy dance (I have been thinling of the possibility of the virtual sangha for a few days and I had no idea it already existed!) but remembered it was about 5 am and most of the commuters were asleep so I had to keep it quiet :wink:.

I am Irina, currently residing in Sweden, in the student city of Uppsala. Started with the meditation about a year ago and have been doing zazen mostly on my own. Went on a week end retreat with the Vipassana group in Stockholm and sometimes join tho local Soto Zen group for 1,5 hour zazen in the local zendo but their schedule doesn't fit mine and Sweden not being a richly populated country we don't have that many people doing one same thing (probably because everyone is on FaceBook :? ) so I seriously consider moving to a place with lots of space, well preserved nature and more people, say Canada.

I started sitting for 15 min and gradually increased the time to 30 min but at the moment my motivation is quite low and got to say it as it is - Mara has nailed me ops: : I find it hard to convince my sitting bones come into contact with that cusion. Once I am on the cushion I love it: all I have to do is breath and this comes easy . Well, concentration is a total different story: I can keep it on my breath for 2 min tops right now before my mind starts playing a movie. I had an issue with one or both legs falling asleep but I learnt to live with it and it got much better since I took up yoga.

Today I sat using the daily video but I still have to figure out how the sitting-along works (is there a real-time sitting?) and how to use that silent room where I can see my own image (that spooks me) but nobody else's.

I am very excited and look forward to meeting you in the forum and in the zendo and learning from you.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (APRIL)

I'm sorry I made a thread about myself, must be m ego instead of posting here, but I think I will also post here.

Hello, my name is Josh. I've been a follower of Jundo's for a few months on OP11, but this is my first time in the sangha. I also remembering seeing Jundo kicked from another board, and though that was rather humorous.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (APRIL)

Hello. This is Clyde Grossman. I have been an occasional “guest” here for several months and recently joined. Jundo suggested (as I believe he asks all new members) that I post a short introduction. Here is what I wrote Jundo regarding my experience and current zazen practice:

I have been studying Buddhism for almost 40 years since my early 20’s, though some periods more intensely than other periods. My study (in English translation) has been mostly Ch’an/Zen with some Tibetan Buddhism and in the last few years the Suttas and even Pure Land. My study has been mostly solitary; I have not been a member of a Sangha, except for e-Sangha and a few other Internet forums which I became aware of a few years ago. I practiced zazen irregularly for a few years when I first began studying Buddhism, but without the self-discipline or group dynamics my sitting practice evolved into chair-sitting, beginning with reading a short passage from a sutta/sutra, a commentary, or a text, and then a period of contemplation, and sometimes meditation. I did this very regularly, most every evening for 1 to 2 hours for many years. Recently I have begun to practice zazen again. My zazen practice is not regular and is for no more than 27 minutes.

I am drawn to the Dharma and prefer the simplicity of Zen, especially when expressed as ‘non-ordinary ordinariness’. For this reason, I appreciate your teachings.

As part of my life-practice, I promote “do no harm”. There is a DO NO HARM web-site at http://www.donoharm.us where you can read about our campaign. We are a non-profit non-organization. We are not associated with any political or religious organization. We do not request or accept donations. We are a ‘circle of friends’.

We do offer free DO NO HARM stuff (bumper stickers, wrist bands, pins, and round decals). And we do invite you to write a short ‘reflection’ on “do no harm” which we may publish on the DO NO HARM web-site. We have been fortunate enough and Jundo has been kind enough so that his reflection was the first to be posted. You can read it here: http://www.donoharm.us/id4.html , but you must scroll down . . . all the way. (My reflection follows Jundo’s.)

Or you can send me an e-mail or private message with your full name, city, state/province, and country, and I’ll add your name to our growing list of ‘co-authors’ of the DO NO HARM essay.

Well this is not a very short introduction and for all that I’m not certain how much I’ll participate on the forum. I have read a few threads over the months of visiting and I have been impressed by the general good natured and helpful attitude expressed by most everyone; but my appetite for exchange seems less than in months past and even less so for argumentation. I am full of opinions and views, but I take my own opinions and views less seriously than I did. After all, not all my current opinions and views are those I held 40 years ago, or 20 years ago, or 10 years ago, or even 1 year ago. And I can’t even guess what opinions and views I might hold next year!

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (APRIL)

Hi, every one...

I'm a new member of this forum. My Name is Isahito. But, in this forum, I use "Shui Di" as my id.

I'm from Indonesia. It's very amazing can join, and learn about Zen through the internet. For the addition, in my country, especially in my city, there is no Zen temple, so I don't know where I should learn about Zen. That's why, I hope I can learn about Zen here with you all.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (APRIL)

Hi,

My name is Paul. I've been meditating for some years and had the fortune to go to some of Gudo Nishijima's lectures in Tokyo back in late 80's and early 90's. I've also studied with the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order in Brighton and the New Kadampa Tradition but always found myself more aligned to zazen and Dogen's Shobogenzo. I've tried to sit every day on average for the past 15 years or so and some times have been easier than others. I've had periods of zazen and then periods of Tibetan Lam rim in the past and more recently looked at the practice of Dzogchen. I like the simplicity of zazen but have felt I need something else at times.

On the more mudane level I have a lovely wife, 2 fantastic pre-teen children, an intertesting full time job, 2 mortgages and 2 cats. I was born and lived in Birmingham, England and moved to Toyko, Japan in 2000.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (APRIL)

Hello,

My name is Bill Wendt. I currently live in Basehor, KS, USA. I have been Buddhist since 1975 (pretty much since I first learned of Buddhism through one of those "Five Great Religions" books). I'm a registered nurse and I maintain crazy sleep schedules. I do Shikantaza / Vipassana / incorporating Zen into every moment practice. I am a fan of Alan Watts / D.T. Suzuki / Eric Lerner and others. I would like to join the community to gain the support of a sangha I feel is missing from my life.

Anything else you would like to know, feel free to contact me here or at williewendt(at)gmail.com.

Re: GREETINGS BY NEW FOLKS (APRIL)

Hi,

Another newbie, been lurking for about 3 months now.

Experience with Zazen - about 4 months. Not consistent (would like to be, working on that and self-discipline). Started Zazen after doing a Goenka-vipassana retreat and noticing that the body scanning mindfullness is hard to do without a clear uncluttered mind like that in the retreat.

It is funny because my Theravadin teacher (as a buddhist I am from that background) started instructing the group I was with to do zazen (he didn't call it that, just mindfullness practice) three years ago and I didn't really know how to do it until I did the Goenka-vipassana course and read Brad Warner's book, both done recently.

Sorry no avatar as I don't have a digi camera but will try to dig up a pic from a friends's facebook.